The New Kitten
by The Raider
Summary: Continuation from "Changes" and "Everything Small And Tiny". A simple morning in the Rosenberg/Maclay home.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or any of the characters. They belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.**

**Special Thanks To: undeadredheadinyourbed, iloveawesomeshtuff, and imsorrywasibeinginsensitiveagain** on Tumblr for the suggestions when my depression wouldn't let me write. :)

* * *

**The New Kitten**

As she rolled over onto her side, Tara smiled at the feeling of content that had filled out each and every one of her senses from underneath the warm sheets. Snuggling her head deeper into the combination of pillow and her own hair that lined her head, the Wiccan felt a familiar body slide into place behind her, the feeling of flannel pajamas on her almost completely bare legs setting her skin on fire.

"Morning, Mrs. Maclay." Purring the greeting into her wife's ear, Willow smiled as she nuzzled her face into the other Wiccan's neck. "And how are you this fine morning?"

"Good morning yourself, Mrs. Rosenberg." Leaning back into the body tucked in behind her, the blonde woman's smile grew even wider upon hearing her wife's voice overtaking her ear. "Good, how 'bout yourself?"

"Perfect now that I'm touching you like this..." Pressing her lips against the skin of the woman's neck, the red-head found herself grinning as she felt a shudder run through her wife's skin. "And it seems like you're enjoying it too."

"How'd you get that idea?" Tara replied, a groan of pleasure almost escaping from her lips as she felt all of her senses beginning to awaken inside her body from their sleep-drenched state.

"Oh, I have my ways. I'm an observative little Witch." Smiling as she withdrew her lips touch from the other girl's neck, the red-head had a grin on her face that spoke volumes about what she was feeling. "Or at least I used to be...the Witch part I mean..."

"I know what you mean, my little _Witch."_ Turning herself onto her side with slight difficulty, Tara flashed her wife her trademark sideways grin while gazing deeply into the bright pools of green in front of her. "That's what you'll always be to me. My beautiful, confident, sexy little Witch."

"Oh, so I'm yours now. Didn't realize I belonged to anyone." Holding her up her hand in order to look at the wedding band on her finger, the red-headed Wiccan smiled. "Here I just thought that this was for show."

"You're being so bad right now..." Shaking her head with her grin still adorning her face, Tara found herself laughing. "You're like a little kid."

"Does that mean I'm gonna get corner time then?" Finding her wife's laughter to be extremely infectious, Willow heard the sound of her own distinct laughter flowing into her hearing. "I've been a very bad girl apparently."

"I can do that, don't think I won't!" Still laughing, Tara shook her head. "You naughty little brat."

"I'm sorry, Mommy." Her voice's pitch going higher in order to make herself sound like a child, the red-headed girl smiled at the effect the trick had on her wife. "Don't punish me."

"Alright, stop it!" Planting her lips against the other girl's almost identical pair, Tara smiled. "You've made your point. You like being a naughty Willow."

"Aww, you got me all figured out now." Pouting slightly, the red-headed nevertheless wasted no time in returning the kiss that had been offered to her only seconds earlier. "Guess we should get up, Samantha probably wants fed."

"You're probably right." Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, the blonde woman returned to her feet, knowing that her wife would be taking in every square inch of her skin. "Enjoying the view back there?"

"Mhm..." Smiling as she looked the other girl up and down, the red-head sighed happily. "I'm still remembering that 'spell' we did last night."

"That was a punishment, remember?" Her sideways grin returning to her face, the blonde Wiccan made her way around the side of the bed as she approached the door. "Somebody was being a smart-alec?"

"I seem to remember something along those lines..." Giving her wife a small wink, Willow threw the covers off of her body as she tried to crack her back. "And then there was lots of snuggles."

"Which you were lucky to get because naughty Witches don't usually get snuggles."

"I'm a special Witch." Grinning slightly, Willow pushed herself up onto her feet, her oversized flannel pajamas hanging around her body. "With a flannel-y center."

Rolling her eyes playfully, Tara redirected her course and found herself standing in front of her wife.

"And what a yummy flannel-y center you have." She said with a smile before pressing her lips against the red-head's cheek. "Naughty little Witch."

"Is that my name for today? Willow, the Naughty Witch? Can I make Miss Kitty talk too?"

"You and Samantha have been watching too much of that show." Rolling her eyes once more, Tara turned and headed for the door once more. "Can you fix breakfast for all of us?'

"Yep. Granted, I can't make pancakes in weird shapes, but I'll manage." Shrugging her shoulders, Willow nevertheless retained her grin as she ventured out into the hallway on her way towards the kitchen. Stepping into the bathroom, Tara allowed herself one last glimpse of her flannel-clad girl before she closed the door, and turned on the water to the shower. As the sound of the warm water filled out the room, she closed her eyes and simply listened to the peaceful sound of running water.

* * *

"Tara, come see this!" Rushing over to the door in order to stick her head out from the room, Willow's entire expression showed barely restrained amusement dancing across her face. "Quick!"

"What is it, sweetie?" Finishing wrapping the towel around her body, Tara quickly made her way down the hallway towards Samantha's room. As she entered the room, the blonde Wiccan was greeted by the sight of her wife standing beside the crib, a large smile adorning her expression as she looked into the piece of furniture in front of her. "Something-"

"Ssshhh, just look…" Pressing a finger to the other Wiccan's lips, the red-head gently took hold of her wife's hand and pulled her towards the crib, allowing the woman to look at what lay inside. Taking in the sight of Samantha sleeping peacefully, Tara noticed a certain furry black and white cat sleeping just as peacefully next to the infant.

"_Awww."_ Unable to avoid letting the expression of amusement slip from her lips, the Wiccan continued to smile as she felt a familiar pair of arms slide around her waist and pull her close.

"How can anyone be so cute?" Willow whispered in the woman's ear, a smile of her own adorning her expression. "Is there some kind of limit on the cuteness factor?"

"I think our daughter just broke it if there is…" Resting her hands atop the pair holding her waist, Tara closed her eyes. "Kinda like what you did the night we all came home."

"You mean the first night…" Pausing for a moment, Willow pressed her lips against her wife's ear. "…we spent as a family? How could I forget the third happiest day of my life?"

"Only the third?"

"After our wedding, and the day she was born."

* * *

"_Okie dokie, here we go, home where it's nice and home-y." As she opened the door to the apartment, Willow's entire expression seemed very child-like in the way she moved and constantly looked back at her wife and newborn child._

"_You're acting very funny, sweetie." Laughing slightly, Tara's tone, along with all of her movements and actions, seemed to be very labored and subdued. Still holding Samantha tightly in her arms, she slowly moved out into the living room of the relatively large apartment. Somewhat eagerly closing the door behind her, Willow's expression continued to consist of nothing but smiles. _

"_I haven't seen you in three days, baby, I missed you." Running up behind her wife, the red-head wrapped her arms gently around Tara's waist. Taking care not to shake either the woman or infant too much, given their delicate and exhausted condition, she closed her eyes and rested her chin against her wife's shoulder. "That's the longest we've been apart in years."_

"_I missed you too, sweetie." Leaning back into the other woman slightly, Tara felt her eyelids beginning to become slightly heavier with each passing moment she stood standing, although she managed to summon a smile to her face. "I'm tired though."_

"_Oh, right!" Her entire expression changing upon remembering the somewhat strict instructions the doctor had given to her, Willow released the other Wiccan and placed her hands on the small of her wife's back. Beginning to guide them towards the nearby chair, she couldn't keep a small smile from spreading across her face once more. "You need lots and lots of rest. 'Cause, you only gave birth three days ago, and that's not that long, and the only process was very hard, and loud, and kinda hard for me to watch-"_

"_Sweetie, you're babbling." Smiling weakly, Tara reached up with her free hand and ran her fingers along her wife's cheek. "It's alright, we're right here. We're not going anywhere." _

"_Right, do you want something to drink, baby? You have to want _something_, and I'm here to get it for you, you don't have to do anything because I'm here…I'm babbling again, aren't I?" _

_Nodding only in response, Tara leaned completely back into the chair, with Samantha still asleep in her arms. _

"_Tara, anything? Glass of water? Cookies? I can't make pancakes in weird shapes, but I can get you some…"_

"_Water…" Saying the word through her exhaustion coated lips, the blonde Wiccan opened her eyes for a slight moment in order to look down at the baby in her hands. _

"_Alrighty, water coming right up!" Rushing into the kitchen, Willow almost immediately began searching through the cupboards as if she had forgotten where the cups were placed. Muting her actions as much as she could, she almost squealed in excitement as she found one, and ran it underneath the nearby water dispenser on the fridge. As the cup filled up to a level that she deemed 'alright', she rushed back to her wife, and held out the cup._

"_Here you g-" Stopping herself in mid-sentence as she realized that Tara had fallen asleep in the short few minutes between asking for a glass of water and her wife's return, Willow smiled and set the cup down beside the chair, hearing a small meow echo out from behind the furniture piece. Seeing a familiar pet stick her head out, the red-headed Wiccan smiled at the kitten before moving her gaze back to her daughter and her wife. Gently removing Samantha from Tara's hands, Willow smiled as she saw her wife curl up onto the chair, her eyes still closed in the gentle caress of sleep. Staring attentively at the wrapped bundle she now held in her hands, she continued to smile as she made her way across the room and sat herself down onto the couch on the opposite side of the room._

_"Hi Samantha..." She said somewhat nervously, continuing to speak softly while her newborn daughter rested peacefully in her hands. "I'm Willow...guess you'll be calling me Momma for the next sixteen or so years..."_

_Hearing a soft meow echo up to her ears from her side, the red-headed Wiccan smiled as she turned her head and found a furry ball of black and white beginning to curl beside her._

_"And this..." Lifting her child's head slightly so that she could see the kitten, Willow smiled even wider. "Is the best kitty in the world, Miss Kitty Fantastico."_

_Mewing again, Miss Kitty raised her head at the sudden movement her owner had made. As her eyes caught sight of the wrapped bundle in Willow's arms, she rose to her paws and cautiously made her way up onto the Wiccan's lap until she was looking directly down at the infant._

_"Who apparently wants to look at you." Chuckling softly, the Wiccan watched as the kitten that she and Tara had once considered to be their 'child' cautiously reached and out pawed at the bundle, her declawed paws leaving no risk for the infant to be harmed. Slowly opening her small blue eyes, Samantha looked up curiously at the head of red-hair looking down at her._

_"Hi there." Her smile stretching until it could reach no further, the Wiccan gently took hold of the infant's tiny hand and felt her heart jump inside her chest as the girl curled her fingers around her mother's finger as best she could. Leaning back into the couch as far as she could, Willow felt as if she would explode from the happiness of holding her newborn daughter in her hands for the first time outside of the hospital. Her green eyes' gaze refusing to falter from the pair of delicate blue staring up at her, she swore that time stopped for a single moment. Moving her finger slightly from where it was still being held loosely by the infant, she sighed happily before uttering a single statement to her daughter._

_"Welcome home."_


End file.
